raw sockets and packet sniffers

hello. i wanted to try Analogx's Packetmon, but it needs raw sockets enabled to work . ive disabled raw sockets. before i try something else i wanted to find out if other packet sniffers need raw sockets enabled? and if you know a _simple GUI_ based program i can use, and does it need raw sockets enabled. thanks.

 

Hi iceni60,

I use Ethereal (freeware) and CommView (shareware). They do not require raw sockets. Ethereal does require WinPcap. SmartSniff is another free sniffer. No installer; just extract to a folder and run it. It requires WinPcap as well.

Nick

 

hello, Nick. thanks again for your help, and explaining it to me . i'll go and try one out .

 

Are you still worried about Raw Sockets? That whole Raw Sockets thing is what brought the world to Steve Gibson's website at GRC. It has since been exposed as exactly what 99% of the security community said it was, which was a bogus concern. Last I heard, Gibson had backed off of all of that, but pride has kept him from admitting he was wrong. Interesting reading about the subject:
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=27289&redir=1

 

thanks Gerard . it did make me wonder why Analogx would release something which might make you unsafe .

i'll read the article you linked, thanks for that. but, since ive had my computer ive always thought of raw sockets as a danger, admittedly, because of grc, so right now i dont want to re-enable them, not because i dont believe you, but because it would feel odd to do so. but, ill read the article and see how i feel afterward.
thanks for letting me know, Gerard.

 

I don't blame you a bit. After doing some checking around, my guess is you'll feel better. Good weekend to 'ya, my friend.
GM

 

and to you too